MONTSAME News Agency between 1921 and 2021
The Mongol Messenger
Ulaanbaatar
/MONTSAME/
March
18, 1921. ‘MONTA’ Mongolian Telegraph Agency reported overseas its
first news titled ‘Uprising of Mongolians’. Ivan Grigoryevich Demko, an advisor
to the head of the Political Department of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary
Army, was appointed as the first director of MONTA and worked for some time.
March
30, 1921. The news ‘Uprising of Mongolians’ reported overseas by
MONTA was published on the fourth page of issue No. 68 of ‘Pravda’ newspaper.
May
19, 1921. Article 2 of the resolution of the meeting of the Central
Committee of the Mongolian People's Party stated that a plan on founding an
office named MONTA, responsible for gathering and disseminating Mongolian
telegraphic news, was considered right, thus has been submitted to the
Government for approval.
July
19, 1921. At the sixth Cabinet meeting, it was resolved to found the
‘General Committee for Post and Telegraph’ under the Ministry of Internal
Affairs. The foundation of MONTA, or MONTSAME, opened a new chapter in the
history of Mongolian media and journalism.
November
1, 1921. The 21st Cabinet meeting approved the regulations of
MONTA, making it affiliated to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
October
3, 1924. MONTA established its first agreement with the Russian
telegraph agency ROSTA to exchange information.
September
1, 1929. The first issue of ‘Mongolyn Medee’, the only
Chinese-language newspaper in Mongolia, was published under the name ‘Ajilchny
Zam’. Since October 1964, it started being operated by MONTSAME under the name
‘Mongolian News’ (Menggu Xiao Xibao).
May
1, 1942. The first issue of ‘Novosty Mongolii’ was published under
the name ‘Unen-Pravda’ at the office of Unen newspaper. The newspaper soon
began to be published under the name ‘Mongolskie novosty’ (Mongolian News).
MONTSAME News Agency has been operating the newspaper since 1959.
1945. Under
the ‘Unen’ newspaper, MONTA ran its operations as a department for translating
TASS news and transmitting information about Mongolia to TASS.
1956. The
magazine ‘Mongolia’ begins to be published.
July
29, 1957. At its meeting, the Political Bureau of the Central
Committee of the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party (MPRP) issued the
Resolution No. 260 to establish the ‘Mongolian Telegraph Agency’.
October
1, 1957. According to a joint resolution No.430/363 of the Council
of Ministers of the Mongolian People's Republic (MPR) and the Political Bureau
of the Central Committee of the MPRP, the Mongolian Telegraph Agency became a
special agency under the Council of Ministers of the MPR. The abbreviated name
of the agency was decided to be MONTSAME.
October
6, 1957. An agreement on the exchange of news between MONTSAME News
Agency and TASS News Agency was signed in Moscow, Russia.
December
31, 1957. Engineers and technicians of the Technical Department of
the Mongolian Telegraph Agency were the first to hold contact with TASS Agency
by teletype machine and began exchanging news and information.
March
16, 1958. A statement issued by the Government of the MPR in support
of a proposal of the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam was
officially reported to the foreign news agencies by MONTSAME News Agency on
behalf of its Government for the first time.
June
2, 1958. An agreement on the exchange of news between MONTSAME News
Agency of MPR and Xinhua News Agency of the People’s Republic of China was
signed in Beijing, China.
December
15, 1958. An agreement on the exchange of news between MONTSAME News
Agency of MPR and AGERPRES News Agency of Romania was signed in Bucharest,
Romania.
December
19 1958. An agreement on the exchange of news and cooperation
between MONTSAME News Agency of MPR and BTA News Agency of Bulgaria was signed
in Sofia, Bulgaria.
December
31, 1958. Since its foundation, the Agency had been reporting and
receiving information in Morse code. From that day MONTSAME NEWS AGENCY:
1921-2021 (Chronology) on, the Agency started using teletypewriters.
1959. A
monthly Russian-language magazine ‘Sovremennaya Mongoliya’ begins to be
published.
1959. A
magazine ‘Mongolia’ begins to be published in English.
May
6, 1959. In accordance with Resolution No. 177 of the MPR Council
of Ministers, the ‘Mongolian Telegraph Agency’ and the State Radio merged to
become the State Committee for Information and Radio under the Council of
Ministers.
June
5, 1959. An agreement on the exchange of news and cooperation
between MONTSAME News Agency of the MPR and VNA Agency of the Socialist
Republic of Vietnam was signed in Ulaanbaatar.
July
17, 1959. An agreement on the exchange of news and cooperation
between MONTSAME News Agency of the MPR and KCNA Agency of the DPRK was first
established in Ulaanbaatar.
October
27, 1961. MONTSAME News Agency reported that the membership of
Mongolian People’s Republic to the United Nations was admitted during the 16th
session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, and disseminated it
through local newspapers.
September
23, 1970. MONTSAME News Agency of the MPR signed a Protocol on
Cooperation with Prensa Latina News Agency of Cuba in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
June
25, 1978. Signed a memorandum with UNESCO on cooperation in a wide
range of areas.
December
18, 1980. MONTSAME News Agency of the Mongolian People’s Republic
and The Press Trust of India Ltd. (PTI News Agency) of India sign a cooperation
agreement
1981.
Joined the Organization of AsiaPacific News Agencies (OANA) as a member.
March
22-30, 1981. The first and only Mongolian flew to the
space. This historic milestone event was reported from the location at the
Baikonur Cosmodrome near Jezkazgan by a team of 7 reporters, including special
correspondent S.Batsukh, photo correspondents S.Batsukh and Ts.Nina, and
political commentator D.Bazarvaani from MONTSAME News Agency.
March
1981. Started operating an outdoor photo billboard near the
Central Post Office building located in the heart of Ulaanbaatar city.
July
16, 1981. MONTSAME News Agency was awarded the Order of the Red
Banner of Labor on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of its establishment
under the decree No. 247 by the Presidium of the People’s Great Khural of the
Mongolian People’s Republic. The award was presented in recognition of the
agency’s efforts to the promotion of the peaceful policy of the MPR, and its
historical practice and accomplishments of the development of a new society
abroad as well as its contribution to strengthening the friendships and peace
among the peoples’ of the nations.
April
20, 1982. The ‘Novosty Mongolii’ Russian-language newspaper
published by MONTSAME News Agency was awarded the Order of Polar Star by the
decree of the Presidium of the People’s Great Khural of the Mongolian People’s
Republic.
October
11, 1983. An agreement on the exchange of news and cooperation
between MONTSAME News Agency and Kyodo Tsushin News Agency was signed in Tokyo,
Japan.
July
3, 1989. MONTSAME News Agency and Reuters News Agency of Great
Britain signed a cooperation agreement.
October
6, 1990. MONTSAME News Agency was re-established as an independent
government news agency under Resolution No. 14 of the Government of Mongolia.
November
5, 1990. MONTSAME News Agency and Yonhap News Agency signed the
first agreement on news exchange in Seoul, South Korea.
1991. State
Photography Agency merges with MONTSAME News Agency in connection with its
reestablishment.
July
8, 1991. The first issue of ‘The Mongol Messenger’ newspaper was
published in English.
September
1991. MONTSAME joins the Non-Aligned News Agencies Pool (NANAP)
as a member.
May
10, 1992. The first issue of ‘Khumuun Bichig’ newspaper was
published in traditional Mongolian script.
October
1994. Satellite news gathering antenna system was installed at
MONTSAME to receive news data from Reuters News Agency.
January
1995. MONTSAME starts broadcasting news through computer
network.
March
26, 1996. Weekly newspaper ‘World News’ for international news
begins to be published.
August
1996. MONTSAME News Agency becomes a government regulatory
agency under the State Great Khural’s Resolution No. 40.
August
1997. MONTSAME News Agency gained internet access and launched
its own daily website to deliver local and world news in Mongolian, English and
Russian languages.
January
1998. MONTSAME’s Khumuun Bichig newspaper organized the first
ever nationwide calligraphy competition for traditional Mongolian script under
the theme, ‘Foremost Calligraphers’. Since then, it has become a tradition for
Prime Ministers of Mongolia to visit MONTSAME News Agency to award the winners
of the annual competition.
September
24, 1998. MONTSAME News Agency and Xinhua News Agency start
exchanging news through a satellite news broadcasting antenna system.
September
6, 2000. By Government Resolution No. 139, MONTSAME News Agency
becomes a Government Regulatory Agency under the Prime Minister’s
responsibilities.
November
3, 2000. MONTSAME approved its own Golden Charter to adhere to its
activities.
January
1, 2001. MONTSAME News Agency deploys correspondents to 21 aimags
of the country.
February
21, 2001. The agency went under technological renovation within the
framework of the 352 MON 91 project by UNESCO, providing 38 high-performance
computers, printing machines and other equipment.
July
18, 2001. An international conference of the Organization of
Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) was hosted in Ulaanbaatar under the theme
‘New Millennium, New Goal: Pressing issues in the daily information exchange of
news agencies in globalization’. Prime Minister N.Enkhbayar received the
international delegates representing over 10 countries at the conference. August
15, 2001. The photography studio was re-established at the MONTSAME News
Agency.
December
15, 2001. MONTSAME News Agency and RIA Novosty Russian News Agency
signed a cooperation agreement in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
January
20, 2002. Satellite antenna delivered by RIA Novosty was installed
and put into operation at the agency.
May
01, 2002. ‘ MONTSAME News’ daily magazine begins to be published.
October
15, 2003. MONTSAME News Agency publishes the first issue of ‘Mongoru
Tsuushin’ newspaper in Japanese.
September
18, 2003. A new ‘Information Center’ was established at the agency
to organize press conferences.
March
31, 2003. MONTSAME News Agency established a cooperation agreement
with the National News Agency of Ukraine (Ukrinform) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
December
19, 2006. ‘Mongolia Today’ magazine begins to be published quarterly.
November
02, 2007. W i t h the renewal of the equipment at the agency’s
Printing Factory, all newspapers and magazines begins to be published in color.
September
04, 2008. MONTSAME News Agency signed a Protocol on Cooperation with
the Azerbaijan State News Agency Azertac, and Kazinform news agency of
Kazakhstan in Baku, Azerbaijan.
September
2008. ‘MONTSAME News’ daily newspaper begins to be published.
September
16, 2008. With the renewal of the equipment at the agency’s
Photography Laboratory, the department expands its staff members.
December
22, 2008. The Confederation of Mongolian Journalists selected
MONTSAME News Agency as a press and media organization that effectively
promoted Mongolia to the world.
November
24-27, 2010. At the General Assembly of the Organization of
Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) that took place in Istanbul, Turkey, MONTSAME
News Agency was elected as an Executive Board member for the first time.
June
27-30, 2011. MONTSAME News Agency successfully hosted the
OANA Executive Board Meeting in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
2014.
Social media pages were updated in Mongolian, English, Russian, Chinese, and
Japanese.
2015. MONTSAME
News Agency established a cooperation agreement with the Central News Agency of
Taiwan (CNA) to exchange information.
-MONTSAME News Agency
established a cooperation agreement with NIKKEI Group of Japan. The agency
provides daily news about Mongolia in English.
2016. The
Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) information center was established at MONTSAME News
Agency’s Information Center in preparation for the ASEM Summit that took place
in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
March
2016. MONTSAME News Agency established a cooperation agreement
with the Confederation of Mongolian Journalists. With the establishment of the
agreement, three journalists began to be annually awarded with MONTSAME News
Agency’s ‘Top News Journalist Award’ along with the ‘Golden Rules Owner’ medal.
November
2016. At the OANA General Assembly that took place in Baku,
Azerbaijan, MONTSAME News Agency was elected as a member of the organization’s
technical committee.
2017.
MONTSAME News Agency established a cooperation agreement with the Russian news
agency Russia Today.
-MONTSAME News Agency renewed
the cooperation agreements with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and the Cuban
state news agency Prensa Latina.
April
2018. In the framework of the official visit by Prime Minister
of Mongolia U.Khurelsukh to the People’s Republic of China, MONTSAME News
Agency renewed its cooperation agreement with Xinhua News Agency in Beijing,
China.
September
2019. On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the victory of
the Khalkhiin Gol Battles, MONTSAME News Agency and ‘Sputnik’ radio broadcaster
of the Russian news agency Rossiya Segodnya co-organized a photography
exhibition themed ‘Two Nations–One Victory’.
November
2019. At the OANA General Assembly that took place in Seoul,
South Korea, MONTSAME News Agency was re-elected as an Executive Board member
and gained the right to host the OANA Executive Board Meeting in Ulaanbaatar,
Mongolia.
December
2019. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the
establishment of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and PRC, MONTSAME News
Agency and Xinhua News Agency coorganized a photography exhibition themed
‘Footprints of History’ in Ulaanbaatar city and published an album of highlight
photos.
2020. With
financing from the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), the
technology and equipment of MONTA telestudio was upgraded.
January
2021. MONTSAME News Agency established an agreement with ‘China
Daily’, an Englishlanguage news organization of the PRC State Council
Information Office, to exchange information.
March
2021. On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Mongolia’s
first space flight, MONTSAME News Agency organized a photography exhibition
themed ‘MONTSAME News Agency’s reportage on the joint Mongolia-Soviet space
flight’ at the Russian Center for Science and Culture.
June
2021. MONTSAME News Agency published the book, ‘The Voice of
Mongolia’, consisting of the works of about 150 journalists, translators, and
artists of the agency throughout the years as the 22nd volume of the ‘Top
Articles of Mongolia’ series.
February-June,
2021. Senior journalists of MONTSAME News Agency G.Baatarchuluun
and Ch.Erdene were awarded with the Honored Cultural Figure title and medal per
the decree of the President of Mongolia.
June-July
2021. MONTSAME News Agency and the National Museum of Mongolia
co-organized an exhibition, ‘Mongolia, MONTSAME-100’, consisting of photography
and artifacts.
-MONTSAME News Agency
published the book ‘MONTSAME Today: 108 Tones’.
July
2021. MONTSAME News Agency marks its 100th anniversaryJuly 2021.
MONTSAME News Agency marks its 100th anniversary.